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International Research Journal of Education and Sciences (IRJES) Vol.

1 Special Issue 2 (English), 2017


eISSN 2550-2158

The Ethics Knowledge among Counsellors in Malaysia


Nurul Hasyimah Mat Rani, Wan Marzuki Wan Jaafar, Sidek Mohd Noah, Mazila Ghazali, and Mohd Izwan
Mahmud

Abstract -- Counsellor ethics is an important element in curriculum is instilled in the professional identity field
counsellor training. Ethics course is one of the compulsory covering the understanding about the professional
courses in the counseling program as proposed by the Board functions, including history, the role of the organisational
of Counsellor, Malaysia. Ethics knowledge is able to help structure, ethics, legislation, licensing, standardization and
counsellors to behave ethically when practising counseling in
accreditation. Ethics knowledge is also included in other
an organisation. The aim of this study is to identify the
knowledge pattern of counsellor ethics in Malaysia and the fields like assessment, group work, career development,
difference in the knowledge of counsellor ethics based on the human growth and development, assisting relationship,
demographic factors like age, gender, experience and social diversity and culture, program research and
counsellor’s qualification. This is a quantitative study using assessment (Education Technical and Training Committee,
descriptive study design. A total of 355 counsellors had taken Board of Counsellor, 2003).
part in this study. The study instrument adopted is Ethical
and Legal Issues in Counselling Questionnaires-Revised II. PROBLEM STATEMENT
(ELICQ-R). The result of the score of the ethics knowledge of
counsellor is at moderate and high level. The result also shows
Ethics knowledge is important to counsellors in
that there is a significant difference between counsellor
qualification and the counsellors’ ethics knowledge in counseling practice. (Solmonson, Roaten dan Sawyer,
Malaysia. Other than that, there is no difference in the ethics 2011) Study shows that ethics knowledge leaves an impact
knowledge based on the demographic factors like age, gender to counsellor’s ethical behaviour (Kocher dan Keith-
and the experiences of the counsellors in Malaysia. All in all, Spielgel, 1998). In Malaysia, there are few counsellors
counsellors in Malaysia still have to increase their ethics who serve in schools that do not have intensive a degree-
knowledge so that they can deliver an effective counseling level training in counseling. Some of the counsellors are
service to clients. The emphasis on ethics courses in the appointed by the State Education Department to become
counseling program also has to be enhanced so that ethical guidance and counseling teachers in schools. (Ministry of
counsellors can be produced in the future. Other than that,
Education, 1996). There is no intensive training for four
high ethics knowledge can help counsellors in behaving
ethically. years in counseling so these teachers do not have adequate
training in ethics knowledge.
This lack of knowledge is faced by the counsellor in the
Keywords -- Counseling, Counsellor, Counsellor’s ethics
knowledge, ELICQ-R conflicts. The work by Lambie and Hagedorn (2010)
shows that ethics knowledge and legislation throughout
I. INTRODUCTION ethics course can increase the ethical decisions that can
guide trainees’ actions. This current work demonstrates
Ethics is a group of principles that stresses on the how important the ethics knowledge is for a counsellor so
behaviour empahsising on an appropriate behaviour by an the decisions made are suitable and ethical and do not
individual or group (Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2003). become detrimental to any party.
According to Bradley and Henricks (2008), ethics serves to
be the main characteristic to determine if a clien will or will III. LITERATURE STUDY
not be affected, physically, mentally or psychology.
Counsellor has to have a good ethics knowledge so that An effective counsellor needs to have a strong
ethics knowledge can be applied effectively. Ethics knowledge of ethics and have the skills to integrate the
knowledge can also help counsellors to behave in an ethical code of ethics with the situations and diverse types of
manner. Other than that, ethics knowledge can also help clients. The counsellors in service also cannot give an
counsellors to make ethical decisions when involved in excuse that they do not know or they do not learn anything
ethical conflict when giving counseling service in their about counselling ethics. Counsellor’s training curriculum
respective organisation. Knowledge is something that an also determines that the subject of ethics is the core subject
individual has and something that one does (Magnusson & (compulsory) under the component of professional identity.
Nilsson, 2003). Ethics knowledge in the counsellor training Other than that, graduate counsellors at least have some
knowledge about ethics because almost all counselling
courses will be given the exposure regarding ethics
Nurul Hasyimah Mat Rani, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti throughout the program (Education Technical and Training
Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysia (Email address: Committee, Board of Counsellor, 2003). Thus, counsellors
hasyimah@fpm.upsi.edu.my). should have the knowledge of counselling ethics to guide
Wan Marzuki Wan Jaafar, Sidek Mohd Noah, and Mazila Ghazali,
Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia. them in facing with the dilemma of ethics throughout the
Mohd Izwan Mahmud, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti counselling practice.
Kebangsaan Malaysia.

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International Research Journal of Education and Sciences (IRJES) Vol. 1 Special Issue 2 (English), 2017
eISSN 2550-2158

A counsellor cannot say that he or she does not know years from October 1996 to January 2006 revolved around
about, or no one informs them about, ethics because various codes of ethics was 60 percent (50 cases). This
counsellors are responsible for knowing, understanding and shows that there were a lot of complaints from clients
implementing the principles dictated in the Counsellor involving counselling code of ethics. The code of ethics is
Code of Ethics. The ethics subject is also taught as early as vital in giving guidance to the counsellors to practise
Bachelor Degree at some universities in Malaysia as core ethical behaviour. A lot of complaints about ethics show
subject and there are universities that also include the ethics the extent of weakness of counsellor’s ethics knowledge
component in other subjects (Education Technical and and this can impact on his or her behaviour when facing
Training Committee, Board of Counsellor, 2003). any dilemma or ethics conflict when giving counselling
Conclusively, ethics serves to be the main responsibility of services in various organisations.
the counsellor and without the code of ethics and its Behun (2007) has conducted a study about the capability
implementation counsellors can adversely affect the clients of the undergraduates in counsellor education in making
and the profession itself. ethical decisions based on the ACA ethical standard. The
Counsellors have to have knowledge in counselling study data is taken earlier on in the semester (pre-test) and
ethics, code of ethics also ethical consideration especially in the last test (post-test). The study finding shows that
when facing ethical dilemma. According to ACA Code of there is a better increase from pre-test to post-test. The
Ethics (2014), the counselling educator or lecturer is five-week ethics course helps the potential counsellors a
responsible in giving the exposure and helping students and great deal in improving their ethical decisions. Ethics
supervised students to be more sensitive to ethical counsellors can add to the knowledge of the counsellorin
responsibilities. Other than that, these educators also have the aspect of ethics where the knowledge from the course is
the responsibility to expose ethical considerations across found to be related in making ethical decisions among
the curriculum. This exposure does not encompass the counsellors.
ethical subjects only but other counselling subjects are also
provided, like individual counselling, family and group 1V. METHODOLOGY
counselling, counselling theories and so on. Thus, serving
counsellors cannot escape from the excuse of not knowing This is a quantitative study using the descriptive study
or not learning the current ethics during training because design. This involves 355 counsellors all over Malaysia.
they have been exposed by educators at the university level The study sample is selected using simple random
concerning ethics and ethical consideration in counselling. sampling. The Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling
Meara, Schmidt and Day (1996) said that counsellors Questionnaire-Revised (ELICQ-R) questionnaire has been
with no knowledge and skills in counselling can become used in this study. According to Lambie, Ieva, Mullen and
detrimental to the client. Although Meara et al. (1996) does Hayes (2011), this questionnaire seeks to measure
not specify knowledge and skills that the counsellor has to counselors’ ethical and legal knowledge. This questionnaire
have, knowledge like ethics is crucial so any adverse comprises of 9sub-scales or constructs, namely professional
effects can be prevented. The ethics knowledge that is identity, ethical and legal terms, ethical-decision making
important to be known by counsellors as suggested by principles, confidentiality, suicide and client violence,
CACREP cover several aspects like professional identity, counselling and education records, educational and civil
ethical and legal terms, ethical-decision making principles, right laws, counselor development and wellness, and
confidentiality, suicide and client violence, counselling and discrimination laws and ethics. This study analysis employs
education records, educational and civil right laws, the t-test analysis and the One-Way ANOVA test.
counsellor development and wellness and discrimination
laws and ethics (Ieva, 2010). V. RESULT
In Malaysia, Education Technical and Training
Committee, Board of Counsellor (2003) has outlined the The result is divided into three sections, namely the
standard and qualification of the counsellor training in the pattern of counsellor’s ethics knowledge, the counsellor’s
counsellor training curriculum encompassing the areas of ethics knowledge score and the difference in the ethics
appraisal, group work, career development, human growth knowledge based on counsellor’s demographic factors in
and development, assisting relationship, professional Malaysia.
identity, social diversity and culture and research and
program evaluation. Although in Malaysia, there is no Pattern of Counsellor’s Ethics Knowledge in Malaysia
specific emphasis as outlined by CACREP but every field
in the counsellor program curriculum endorsed by the Table I shows the pattern of ethics knowledge for
Board of Counsellors need to lay an emphasis on ethical counsellors in Malaysia. The data shows that only three
consideration and legislation so that counsellors are able to construct obtained high mean which are professional
know the most appropriate consideration when serving as identity (mean=2.58, S.D=0.67), ethical decision-making
counsellors in various organisations. principles (mean = 1.50, S.D=0.63) and counselling and
Counsellors are not perfect professional members. There education record (mean=2.33, S.D=0.95). Other construct
are counsellors who have yet to practise the code of ethics shows moderate mean which are ethical and legal terms
in their service. Khele, Symons and Wheeler (2008) state (mean=2.04, S.D=0.82), confidentiality (mean=2.57,
that the highest number of complaints throughout the ten S.P=0.96), suicide and client violence (mean=1.94,
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International Research Journal of Education and Sciences (IRJES) Vol. 1 Special Issue 2 (English), 2017
eISSN 2550-2158

S.D=0.73), educational and civil right laws mean=2.05, counsellors according to the age of respondents. The study
S.D=0.82), counselor development and wellness finding shows that the mean score of the respondents for
(mean=3.06, S.D=1.12) and discrimination laws and ethics the age level of the counsellors is between 21 to 30 years
(mean=1.31, S.D=0.61). Results show that counsellors in (Mean=19.82, SD=3.72), 31 to 40 years (Mean=19.18,
Malaysia have mean score in moderate and high level. SD=3.67), 41 to 50 years (Mean 19.38, SD=3.65) and 51
years and above (Mean=18.51, SD= 3.37).
TABLE I: THE PATTERN OF COUNSELLOR’S ETHICS
KNOWLEDGE TABLE III:THE DIFFERENCE OF ETHICS KNOWLEDGE BASED
Construct of Ethics knowledge Mean S.D ON THE AGE OFCOUNSELLORIN MALAYSIA
Professional identity 2.58 .67 Age Mean S.D

Ethical and legal terms 2.04 .82 19.82 3.72


21 to 30 years
Ethical-decision making principles 1.50 .63 19.18 3.67
31 to 40 years
Confidentiality 2.57 .96 19.38 3.65
41 to 50 years
Suicide and client violence 1.94 .73 18.51 3.37
51 and above
Counseling and Education Record 2.33 .95 19.45 3.75
Total
Educational civil rights by law 2.05 .82
Counsellor development and wellness 3.06 1.12 The study finding shows that the null hypothesis is
accepted where there is no significant difference between
Discrimination Law and ethics 1.31 .61
ethics knowledge and counsellor’s age where the value of F
Overall 21.41 4.06 (3,351) = 1.27, (p>.05). This shows that there is no
difference of the counsellors in terms of their ethics
The Counsellor’s Ethics Knowledge in Malaysia knowledge based on age. From the overall mean value of
the respondents, all age categories of the respondents are
This section explains the ethics knowledge scores not different in ethics knowledge. The mean of the
divided into low score (score 1 to 10), moderate score respondents is as follows (Mean=20.03, S.D=4.09) and
(score 11 to 20) and high score (21 to 30). (Mean=21.79, S.D=4.00).

Based on Table II, the highest frequency is at the TABLE IV: THE SUMMARY OF ETHICS KNOWLEDGE
DIFFERENCE BASED ON THE AGE OFCOUNSELLORS IN
moderate score which amounted to 195 respondents or 54.9 MALAYSIA
percent of respondents have moderate score of ethical Variance dk Squared F p
knowledge. However, almost half of the respondents or 146 Difference mean
people or 42 percent of respondents have high ethics Among 53.71 3 17.90 1.27 .283
Groups
knowledge score. Only 11 people or 3.1 percent of In Group 4936.44 351 14.06
respondents have low ethics knowledge score. Result
Total 4990.15 354
shows that more than counsellors in Malaysia have
moderate and high score in ethical knowledge. *significant at confidence level p < .05

TABLE II: ETHICS KNOWLEDGE SCORE Difference of Ethics Knowledge Based on


Level Score Frequency Percent (%) Counsellor’s Gender in Malaysia
Low 1-10 11 3.1
Moderate 11-20 195 54.9
Ho2: There is no significant difference between ethics
knowledge and gender of counsellors in Malaysia
High 21-30 149 42.0

The independent sample t-test is done to identify the


Difference of Ethics Knowledge Based on the difference between ethics knowledge and gender of
Counsellor’s Demographic Factors in Malaysia counsellors in Malaysia. Table V shows that the null
hypothesis is accepted where there is no significant
To determine this, based on the demographic factors difference between ethics knowledge between male
(age, gender, experience and qualification), the t-test and counsellors (Mean=19.89, S.P=3.72) and ethics knowledge
the one-way ANOVA test analyses are adopted. of female counsellors (Mean=19.26, S.P=3.75) (t=1.46,
dk=353, p>.05). Result shows that there is no difference
Difference of Ethics Knowledge Based on Age of between male and female counsellor in term of ethical
Counsellors in Malaysia knowledge.

Ho1: There is no significant difference in the ethics


knowledge based on the age of counsellors in Malaysia.

Table III and Table IV show the summary of the one-way


ANOVA test for the difference in the ethics knowledge of
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International Research Journal of Education and Sciences (IRJES) Vol. 1 Special Issue 2 (English), 2017
eISSN 2550-2158

TABLE V: THE SUMMARY OF ETHICS KNOWLEDGE Ethics Knowledge Difference Based on the
DIFFERENCE BASED ON THE GENDER OF COUNSELLORS IN
MALAYSIA
Qualification of Counsellors in Malaysia
Gender N Mean S.D t dk p
Ho4: There is no significant difference between knowledge
Knowledg Male 111 19.89 3.72 1.46 353 .14
e of ethics 3
of ethics based on the qualification of counsellors in
Female 244 19.26 3.75 Malaysia
*significant at confidence level p < .05
Table VIII shows the summary of the independent
Difference of Ethics Knowledge Based on sample t-test to identify the difference between the
Counsellor’s Experience in Malaysia qualifications of counsellors in Malaysia. The study finding
shows that there is a significant difference between
Ho3: There is no significant difference between ethics undergraduate qualification (Mean=19.20, S.P=3.79) and
knowledge and counsellor’s experience in Malaysia. postgraduate qualification (Mean=20.11, S.P=3.57) for
ethics knowledge in Malaysia (t=-2.27, dk=353, p<.05).
Table VI and Table VII show the summary of One-way The null hypothesis is rejected. The outcome of the study
ANOVA test with regard to the difference in ethics shows that counsellors who have postgraduate qualification
knowledge according to counsellor’s experience in are different in terms of the aspect of ethics knowledge,
counselling. The study finding shows that the respondents’ compared to counsellor with postgraduate qualification.
mean scores for the period of experience is between below
TABLE VIII: THE SUMMARY OF ETHICS KNOWLEDGE
5 years is (Mean=19.87, SD=3.41), 6 to 10 years DIFFERENCE BASED ON THE QUALIFICATION OF
(Mean=19.49, SD=3.73), 11 to 15 years (Mean=18.88, COUNSELLORS IN MALAYSIA
SD=3.86), 16 years and above (Mean=19.90, SD=4.37) and Variable Kelayakan N Mean S.D t dk p
no experience in counselling (Mean=17.92, SD=4.55). Knowledge Undergraduate 255 19.20 3.79 - 353 .041
of ethics 2.05
Post-graduate 100 20.11 3.57
TABLE VI: ETHICS KNOWLEDGE DIFFERENCE BASED ON THE *significant at confidence levelp< .05
EXPERIENCE OF COUNSELLORS IN MALAYSIA
Experience Mean S.D
(years)
VI. RESULT
Below 5 Years 19.87 3.41
The Pattern of Counsellor’s Ethics Knowledge
6 Years – 10 19.49 3.73
Years
11 Years- 15 18.88 3.86 Cannon (2010) states that the knowledge about ethics is
Years critical because it can differentiate if the students (clients)
16 Years and 19.90 4.37 receive appropriate service or otherwise. Apart from that,
above
No experience 17.92 4.55 ethics knowledge can also distinguish if students are treated
respectfully. Section H.1.a in the ACA code of Ethics (
Total 19.45 3.75
ACA, 2014) also states that counsellors have to understand
the code of ethics also the code of ethics applied by other
Finding shows that the null hypothesis is accepted. professional organisations, also the code of ethics that issue
There is no significant difference between ethics licensing and their certificates of membership. A counsellor
knowledge and counsellor’s experience in Malaysia cannot make the excuse that they lack the knowledge or
F(4,350) = 1.41, p=.228 (p>.05). Based on the one-way understanding about ethics when they are accused of
ANOVA result, counsellor’s period of experience from performing unethical behaviour.
zero experience to experience more than 16 years does not Knowledge of ethics can also prepare counsellors in
differentiate counsellor’s ethics knowledge in Malaysia. addressing difficult cases like suicide, abuse and cases
involving the law. The study by Herman (2002) suggests
TABLE VII: THE SUMMARY OF ETHICS KNOWLEDGE that they are ready to face the issue of suicide but not really
DIFFERENCE BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF COUNSELLORS
IN MALAYSIA
ready to be subpoena to appear as witness in the court
proceeding. If a counsellor has high level of ethics he or
Variance dk Squared F P
Difference mean
she will be more prepared to face various challenges in
Among 108.32 4 27.08 1.94 .103 practising ethics.
groups According to Hermann (2002), the counsellors who
In groups 4881.83 350 13.94 show that they are ready in issues involving disclosure of
Total 5851.95 354 information regarding the counselling session, will be
*significant at confidence levelp<.05 prepared to report cases of child abuse and determine if
students are involved or not. With knowledge of ethics,
counsellors are able to behave ethically and at least get to
face various dilemma. Other than that, counsellor
preparation with ethics knowledge through follow-up

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International Research Journal of Education and Sciences (IRJES) Vol. 1 Special Issue 2 (English), 2017
eISSN 2550-2158

education can prevent injury or adverse impacts in clients’ and learned and applied in counsellors’ lives when they
cases like abuse, danger to the clients and suicide. work in institutions later on.

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